The Town of Okotoks is taking a long-term look at fire and rescue services in the community.
Behr Integrated Solutions presented a Fire Services Master Plan and Community Risk Assessment to council during its meeting on Aug.19.
The master plan helps evaluate and forecast current and future requirements for emergency services in Okotoks.
The report makes 31 observations and 32 recommendations, some of which can be completed with existing resources and no added cost, while others would come with a price tag to implement.
Recommendations include phasing out the community firefighter program and increasing the number of full-time firefighters.
The report says most community firefighters have other full-time jobs and are not always available, and that the practice of using community or volunteer firefighters is a challenge across the country.
Currently, Okotoks Fire & Rescue operates with six to eight firefighters on duty at any one time and is meeting its response target of the first firefighters arriving at an emergency within 10 minutes of being dispatched, 90 per cent of the time.
The report suggests that on-duty staffing be increased to 12 firefighters in the future.
Triggers for expanding the department can include population growth and housing densities, an increase in the occurrence of two or more calls at the same time, and expectations from the public or Town, the report stated.
Other recommendations include establishing new positions within the fire department and purchasing additional equipment.
Mayor Tanya Thorn expressed some disappointment with the report that was presented to council.
Nowhere does the report consider the financial impacts of the recommendations or their feasibility and it suggests completing most of the recommendations within two years, Thorn said.
“We are not in a position to make all of these moves,” she said.
Coun. Ken Heemeryck said he would have liked to see the recommendations prioritized.
Representatives from Behr said council can decide on what recommendations can be implemented and when.
The information in the report will be used to develop a five-year fire services implementation plan for consideration in the 2026 budget cycle.
CAO Elaine Vincent said any urgent risks that need to be considered sooner will be identified for the 2025 budget cycle.
